


Ficception!

by Wasthatapun



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-27
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 15:19:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/737145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wasthatapun/pseuds/Wasthatapun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fanfics of other peoples SPG AU's</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wait it out

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Squiggly Spine](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/19202) by Squiggly. 



> Human and infected Squiggly struggles as he mutates into one of the monsters he’s so long fought. All he has to do is survive till he turns back into a robot again. The only thing that could make this worse would be Rabbit seeing him like this.  
> http://squiggly-spine.tumblr.com/

Rabbit had given up trying, Peter X could sleep in that cabinet till he was once again back to hung-over verses drop dead drunk and started the whole annoying cycle over again. 

He sped down the ramp, going just fast enough The Spine would be annoyed with him if he got caught but not so fast that the currently-human-bot would be absolutely livid.

He let the momentum he’d built up carry him all the way to the HOW before skidding to a stop right before he hit the door. He congratulated himself on the maneuver and on not knocking anything loose like he had last time he’d attempted it (and had subsequently had to endure a long and boring lecture from his younger brother).

He tilted the chair so he could reach the door handle, his elbow creaking ominously as he extended it fully but he ignored the sound. At least his fingers were cooperating instead of twitching and jerking against his will today.Yanking the door open he filled his bellows to shout something mildly teasing in greeting to his currently human brother, but it died on his lips as his optics took in the room.

And The Spine whimpering and writhing on the floor, a puddle of blood and thick black oil forming beneath him as he clutched at the burning bite on his side.

“THE SPINE!!!” For once Rabbits voice came clear and strong. The Spine tried weakly to shift onto his hand and knees while his body fought for him to curl as far into a ball as he could go. Head down as he gasped, his eyes screwed shut and fists balled tight.

“N-noo Rabbit please…please just leave don’t -” He was cut off by a hacking cough, more blood and oil joining the spreading puddle below him. “God please just go I d-don’t want you to see this pl-lease,“ He whimpered. Rabbit ignored him, creaky joints forcing the wheelchair forward as fast as he could manage.

“T-t-t-t-he Spine wh-wh-wh-wh-“ He stuttered, another spasm wracked Spine’s body and he whimpered pitifully, but he was finally able to force his arms under him, lifting himself to turn glowing coal pleadingly up to him. “P-please leave…” he whimpered, forcing the words out as more oil climbed its way up his throat

Rabbit gasped at the sight, fully aware of what it meant for his brother. “Sp-sp-spine n-n-n-o ya can-n-n-n’t be…”

Protocols be damned, he shoved himself from his chair and onto his knees, just barely managing to force himself into a sitting position with his back to the couch so he could pull his writhing brother into his lap. He took a shuddering breath, filling his bellows to try and calm down.

“Y-y-you’re inf-fected h-h-h-h-h-huh?” Rabbit asked gently as The Spine curled into him, mutating body shaking and hitching as pain shoots through him. The Spine nodded, screwing his eyes shut and hiding his face in Rabbit’s lap.

“H-h-how?”

The Spine shook his head desperately, not wanting to tell. “S-s-spine please.” He gave in and tried to explain, but coughed up more oil instead so moved his hand from his side and lifted his shirt with a wince, revealing the deep bite that was most likely the source of his infection. 

Rabbit *tsked* at the sight, a malfunctioning metal hand gently smoothing down the sweat soaked hair from his brother’s brow. Sensors registered the dangerously high temperature always brought on by the first stage of mutation always brought. 

“Ya ch-change back tomorrow though. You’ll be-be-be a bot again an back to n-n-n-n-normal. Just gottta hold out till then right?” He reasoned.

A scream tore its way from The Spine’s lips and he nearly bit the tip of his tongue off trying to stop it. 

“I-i-i-i Don’t kno-no-n-ow what to DO Tha Spine,” Rabbit admitted, one metal, gloved hand slipping into The Spine’s human one. The Spine clung to it desperately as tears streamed down his face and agony ripped through him.

He spit out another glob of oil and wheezed as he tried to draw breath.

“Just…stay with me…dun wanna be alone,” he managed weakly before another coughing fit hits him.

Rabbit tugged the glove off one hand, pressing cold metal to The Spine’s fever-hot forehead to try and alleviate it somewhat. He got a small relieved sound in response as Spine leaned into the cold touch, A small comfort on his burning skin but anything was appreciated right now.

“N-not goin any any anywhere promise.” And not just because now that he was down here he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to make it back into his wheelchair on his own. ” I s-s-shouldn’a got outta th-tha chair yet cou-cou-coulda got ya somethin for tha pain maybe,” he grumbled to himself.

The Spine grasped Rabbit’s hand tighter as more oil and bile worked their way up his throat. When it finally passed and he was able to spit the last glob from his mouth he shook his head. “Wouldn’t work,” He gagged “no point.” He whimpered as a fresh wave of agony washed over him and hid his face in Rabbit’s lap as he shook.

Rabbit watched sadly as the hand that grasped his so tight, tight enough that if he had been human the bones would have snapped, began to harden and blacken. Hard scales burrowed up from the soft skin. Rabbit could feel the oil welling in his optics as he placed his other hand on The Spine’s mutating one. 

This drew The Spine’s attention and he whimpered at the sight of his own mutating flesh.

“Of all thhe -hnn- ways I th-thought i’d g-gah!” He hitched and more oil dripped from his lips as something began to shift under his skin. “ggo, waiting f-for Peter X to find ussssss and sh-shoot me in the head nnnnnever occurred to me,” He finished, whimpering and hissing as his insides burned.

“N-n-n-no you’re no-ot. Don’t be-be-be-be stupid. X is passed-d-d-d-d out in a cabinet in the we-est wing and way too drunk to aim a gun besides.”

The Spine laughed and immediately regretted it as his ribs ached and yet another painful set of hacking burbling coughs hit him.

“I-i-i-i ain’t even kidding. He l-ocked himself in-in a cabinet so’s I coul’n ma-ake him stop drinkin.” He clucked his metal tongue as a thought occurred to him. 

“Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-” Damn loop, with one quick smack Rabbit feels something shake loose and he’s finally able to continue.

“Qwerty! S-s-shut down all Def-fense protocals in tha HOW. An only th-tha HOW got it?”

The screen tittered. “RiGhtY O!”

“A-an lock tha D-door too while you-you’re at it.” There was a slam and a click. Just because Rabbit was pretty sure no one would be getting in who would try and hurt Spine while he was stuck like this, and that The Spine would be able to keep it together enough not to try and hurt anyone, didn’t mean he wasn’t going to take precautions.

Spine forced a weak smile up at his brother, barely able to gurgle a thanks before the mutation kicked up another notch.

The scales spread tearing through his skin, bringing with it rivulets of black spotted blood as he continued to twitch and spasm and try his damndest not to scream in pure agony in front of his brother. He couldn’t stop himself from crying though, tears blood red, flowing from his burning eyes as he struggled just to breathe through burning lungs and choking oil.

The whole time, Rabbit held him, one hand in his with the other rubbing a soothing circle on his back. He hummed Clockwork Vaudeville, slow and soft, like a lullaby. He’d long ago found that it was much easier to keep from skipping and hitching if he hummed versus sang. It was the only thing he could think to do.

Beneath his hand The Spine stiffened, eyes widening in a look of horror as he yanked his hand from Rabbit’s grip and covered both his ears, whimpering. “nononononono!” His voice was frantic. Rabbit had to catch his wrists and yank his hands away because he was tearing into his skin with the newly grown claws.

“W-w-w-what is it?! What’s happ-p-p-p-p-pening now?!?!” he asked frantically, not seeing any new changes save for the scales slowly destroying his clothes and beginning to spread to be seen peeking from under his collar. 

The Spine choked back a sob. “I can hear them,” He whimpered.

“Wh-who?”

“The fence, the mutants -hhnnn- I can u-understand what they’re SAYING!” He whimpered and sobbed desperately, yanking his hands away from Rabbit’s grasp and once again clutching at his head, claws tearing into skin and drawing oil flecked blood.

It felt like his core had dropped out the bottom of his boiler as he stuttered out a muttered curse and pulled The Spine more into his lap, ignoring the creak of metal protesting the strain. “Ju-u-ust hold on! Y-you just gotta keep it togeth-th-ther till tomorrow; you can do it Tha Spine!” It was all he could think to say to reassure him. But The Spine was shaking his head desperately, bloody tears falling faster as he spiraled further into panic.

“N-n-not gonna lllllllllllive that loong. Gonna -gah!- die like this! Half changed -sssssss- freak!” Everything was pain, his lungs burned and his back ached and his ears where ringing with the roars that suddenly made sense and he just wanted it all to end.

Rabbit couldn’t think of anything else to do, so he clamped his metal hands over The Spines ears, letting him tear at the metal with clawed fingers, leaving gashes where they dug in, and started singing.

“N-n-n-night is the kkkkkkey that unra-ra-ravels everything, When it all c-comes down, And p-p-p-people tend to er-r-rupt without a sound” He stuttered and skipped over the song he’d once flawlessly performed before countless fans, forcing as much volume through his often glitchy vocalizer as he could manage.

For a single shining second there was a pause in the changes and The Spine was able to still.

To breathe.

To turn black coal eyes up to Rabbit in silent thanks as the stuttering song drowned out the horrible cries from outside.

Then it was gone as there was a horrific snap and crack of breaking, shifting bones, and he jerked. Eyes wide and mouth open as he tried to scream but nothing would come out.

Rabbit tried to calm him, metal hands reaching to sooth but The Spine was so so scared of what he may do as another spasm jerked his body and he arched away from the pain only to feel the skin on his back tear and bone jut out and now he was panicking as Rabbit tried to hold him still, keep him on his side so he was at least not laying on the new additions to his anatomy. But he twisted away, kicking out and rolling to force himself as far from the poorly repaired clockwork automaton as he could.

More powerful, taloned legs misjudging their aim and catching, tearing, rending metal on Rabbit’s hip and The Spine was horrified. His worst fear realized as Rabbit made a small noise of pain and touched the wound.

Blood and oil streamed down his cheeks in place of tears as the scales moved further and further along his body and his bones cracked and rearranged inside him, and the only thing that echoed in his mind is that he’d hurt Rabbit.

His lips parted to desperately apologize, to beg forgiveness but no words came out. Only a snarl that sounded monstrous as he was becoming. His vocal cords had changed too much for him to even do something so simple as speak.

He curled in on himself, hiding his face from Rabbit’s view and clawing gouges into the tile floor as the bone spikes continued to grow from his back, his skull, he could even feel something pushing painfully through his shoulders.

 

Through the pain, he faintly registered pressure and cold against his scales, and it brought with it a sense of comfort. Weakly he raised his burning coal eyes to find Rabbit kneeling beside him. It was amazing the aged bot was able to force his barely functioning legs to get him even the few feet The Spine had been able to launch himself away with that one kick.

He let out a low growl, a warning to stay back. He didn’t trust himself not to hurt Rabbit further.

“D-d-don’t be so drrramatic. It’s ju-u-st a cosmetic wound. Ya didn’t get anywhere close to any important bits; I’m fine,” he reassured, and The Spine could only whimper in reply.

He coughed and something fell from his mouth, his own teeth, soon to be replaced by sharp fangs, he could already feel them forcing their way through his gums and filling his mouth. He stared down at them in shock and as a black film covered his vision, he distantly realized he’d grown a second set of eyelids, these shuttering from the sides.

A low keening noise rose from his throat unbidden as Rabbit wrapped an arm around him, used to working a hug around the spines from the metal ones he had once possessed.

His back arched again and he felt something tear at his tailbone and force his sweats away; the shirt was on its last legs, barely hanging on by tattered strands, torn to pieces by the sharp scales that covered nearly every inch of his body.

“I-I-I think you’re a-almost done,” Rabbit murmured, looking him over and comparing it in his mind to what he’d seen before.

The Spine let out another whimper and an agonized roar as the spines forced themselves out farther again. He felt something wrap around his leg and with a shock of horror realized he now had a tail. 

Something inside him crunched and shifted and his ribs burned as they began to expand and grow. The same was happening to the rest of him as he rapidly gained bulk, his skeleton trying to keep up and only just succeeding. The pain was unbearable and he had the sudden urge to lash out, but the only thing near him was Rabbit, still holding onto him tightly, arms wrapped around his shoulders in a desperate hug.

He snarled and yanked himself away, tried to stand but found it was now much easier to move on all fours instead. Sharp taloned feet tore gouges in the tile and he let out another pained roar as with one final shove the bone spikes that covered his body finally fully extended. His tail lashed angrily behind him as he tore into the couch he’d not too long ago been lying on, sharp claws tearing it to shreds as he took out all the pain and agony of his still changing body on it, attacking with claw and spine and tooth. 

Finally it ebbed, the transformation slowing then stopping altogether as his mutation finished and he was left panting, chest rumbling with a deep growl. There was a creak of aged metal and he turned to find Rabbit still trapped where The Spine had left him sitting on the ground by his near useless legs. Watching him with worried optics. 

“Y-y-y-oyou’re gonna be okay tha S-s-spine,” He reassured. “T-t-the hard part’s ovvvver now. Just gotta wait it out.”

The creature who had once been The Spine eyed him and there was a flash of worry and fear on the automatons face. The creature looked ashamed, backed away a step, the same low keening noise starting in his throat and something in Rabbit relaxed. His brother was still inside there.

He tried to push himself to his knees, joints protesting the action rather insistently and threatening loudly to simply give right then and there but he was dead set on making it to his brother’s side to comfort him any way he could. 

He was so focused on making his legs work how he wanted, glaring at them as if that would help, that he was taken by surprise when a clawed hand rested on his shoulder and forced him back down. Heterochromatic optics turned up to meet The Spine’s coal black ones, he was now a good three times his original size and Rabbit had to crane his neck. The Spine growled as he nudged Rabbit back into a sitting position, the sound striking Rabbit as strangely close to a monstrous purr. 

“We ju-ju-just gotta wait it out t-till tomorrow nn-n-now Spine, then you’ll be gggggood as new.” He insisted, wrapping his arms around The Spines neck and pulling him into a hug. The Spine lets his legs collapse under him, laying his head in Rabbits lap and making another growled attempt at words.

“Y-yeah I hear ya, but it a-a-ain’t gonna be too much longer. Ju-ust have to sit pretty now.” He answered, faking understanding as he ran a hand gently over The Spine’s scales.

“M-maybe ya can get so-o-o-ome sleep or somethin.” The Spine huffed, content to just lie there for now. Rabbit leans back against the ruined chair, steam drifting from his vents, and started humming again.

They just had to wait it out now.

It would all be over tomorrow.


	2. I Love Pinata’s!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon settles in and meets someone special  
> http://peterwalteri.tumblr.com/tagged/being-human-verse

School starts again, and you get Jon into your school’s photography program with surprisingly little struggle.

Within the first month you notice a name keeps popping up in every story Jon seems to tell. A girl named Julie who seems to be in about three of his classes and every time Jon tells you about his day she’s either in the story or he references what she might have said if she’d been there.

It takes another few weeks for it to hit him that there may be a reason this girl seems to spend so much time with him and why he enjoys that time so much.

He’s in the middle of telling you about how she made him explain how to properly remove a lens for the third time and had gotten so frustrated she’d hid her face in his shirt when his eyes suddenly get big. “She…she kinda does that a lot actually, puts her head on my shoulder and stuff… and she always grabs my hand when we’re walking between classes…” You watch as the gears turn in your baby brother’s head and you can see Stephen fighting not to just point out the obvious and let him get there on his own.

“Ra-Robbie I think she likes me likes me!” He seems so shocked by the concept neither you nor Stephen can keep from laughing.

You start hearing a lot more details about this girl, like how she has freckles and once let Jon connect the ones on her cheek and left the marker on all day, how she’s actually no good at the technical parts of photography but hand her an already prepped camera and she could take some really good pictures. He helped her through a lot of the technical stuff and he tells you excitedly about how one time she called him a genius.

You don’t meet her till another few weeks after that, and your first meeting isn’t under the best circumstances.

Jon had been humming Honeybee to himself for well over a week now. You don’t think much of it, he’s been in such a wonderful mood you welcome it. Then one day he comes home from class in tears, he won’t tell you what’s wrong at first but you keep at him till finally he breaks down.

“I MESSED UP! I ALWAYS MESS EVERYTHING UP! I’M SO SORRY RABBIT I’M SORRY I’M SO STUPID I DON’T KNOW WHY I CAN’T DO ANYTHING RIGHT!”

It takes you completely off guard as he sobs in your arms, and you’re slightly relieved that Darren’s not at home so that you don’t have to explain why Jon is calling you Rabbit because there’s no way you’re going to correct him right now.

“Wait, wait what happened Jon? You’re not stupid, just tell me.”

He’s all but whimpering into your chest now. You wrap your arms around him and hold him as tight as you can.

“*sniffle* Sh-She found out Rabbit….I kept humming that stupid song and she asked me about it so I sang some to her and she figured it out and I’m sorry I always ruin everything… look!”

he pulls out his cell phone and shoves it into your hand, the text log is already pulled up and you read.

 

There’s a link to a performance you had done a good two decades back, you know the video by the link alone and that it starts with a close up of The Jon.

 

There’s only one outgoing reply.

__

_He’s muttering into your shirt now, more hateful words about himself and how much she must think he’s a freak and will never want to see him again._

_You hold him tighter, muttering soft words as you brush your hand through his curls, rocking him slightly._

_The cell phone starts buzzing in your hand and you glance at it._

____

__

__There’s a knock on the door. If it’s Stephen he has a key and if it’s not you really aren’t sure whether or not you should answer it._ _

__The knocking stops and you can hear voices on the other side, one of them is Stephen and you don’t recognize the other. The door opens and Stephen moves out of the way as a girl rushes in._ _

__Her eyes are wide, fearful, as she looks around the apartment before spotting Jon._ _

__He turns, trying to wipe the tears from his face as his voice waveringly asks “Julie?”_ _

__She nearly knocks him over when she launches herself at him, hugging him like he’ll slip away and kissing his cheeks._ _

__“I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I DIDN’T THINK ABOUT IT I NEVER SHOULDA SAID ANYTHING I’LL NEVER BRING IT UP AGAIN!” Her words blur together as she says them in a rush, still holding him tight. The words patter off and she buries her head in his neck, her voice lowering to a whimper. ”Please don’t leave me.”_ _

__Stephen looks at you, mouthing ‘What is going on here?’ You just shrug and mouth back ‘I’m really not sure.’_ _

__Jon seems shocked, hands out to Julie’s sides from when she’d rushed into his arms, slowly he puts his arms around her. ”I…I thought you were gonna leave me!”_ _

__“Why would I ever do something like that?!”_ _

__“… I used to be a robot…”_ _

__“Yeah I figured that out.”_ _

__She’s smiling up at him shyly, and after a moment he smiles back and suddenly they’re both giggling._ _

__“Yeah that’s great an’ all guys, now…” You clear your throat. “GET OFF MY LEGS!”_ _

__They both jump and Jon tugs her up and into his arms._ _

__“Umm… guys this is my girlfriend Julie! These are my brothers, Stephen and Ra-Robbie…”_ _

__He blushes at the stumble and she raises an eyebrow. You can tell she’s dying to ask but too scared he won’t react well._ _

__“I used to be called Rabbit, Stephen used to be called Tha Spine, and Jon has always been Jon, he just lost the The.”_ _

__Stephen glares at you but Jon seems pleased that you seem okay with revealing things to her._ _

__“Am…am i allowed to ask about that or not?” she ducks her head and won’t look him in the eye. “Cause it’s kinda really cool.”_ _

__“Yeah, I think it’s okay… I’m sorry I panicked, I can be really stupid sometimes.”_ _

__You watch as her shoulders raise and her mouth twists into a disapproving frown. “You are not stupid! You always say that! You should never think that, don’t ever say it again!” she huffs. “I don’t know how you got that idea in your head but you’re really really smart so there.”_ _

__You start seeing a lot more of Julie around the apartment after that, they’ll curl up on the couch after classes watching tv and in a quiet voice Jon will tell her stories of before, about back when he had adventures in Kazooland, about traveling the world playing music, and about the wars. You’re surprised that he seems so willing to tell her so much, and on more than a few occassions you overhear her calling him The Jon instead of just Jon, and he looks so pleased._ _

__It’s late and you were just getting up for a drink of water. You hadn’t even realized Julie was still there or that Jon was still up, they’re lying on the couch and Jon is talking gently as Julie smiles up at him from where she’s curled in his lap, obviously fascinated by his every word. You don’t mean to eavesdrop but you can’t bring yourself to interrupt by leaving the bedroom._ _

__“There was this one time, you know the bit where Rabbit smears guacamole on The Spine’s shirt? This one time we were helping get a picnic ready and Rabbit actually did it! Spine was so mad but he couldn’t really do anything about it. So later he got me to help him hide all of Rabbit’s belts in really weird places all over the manor!”_ _

__She has to muffle her laughter in his chest. ”The Jon that’s horrible!” She snickers. ”How long did it take Rabbit to find them all again?” He looks up at the ceiling, thinking. ”You know I don’t think he ever did find them all, I bet theres still a couple belts shoved in stuffed alligators and stuff like that.” They both devolve into a fit of muffled giggles and you decide you don’t really need water._ _

__The next morning you find them still on the couch, but now tangled in each other’s arms fast asleep._ _

__The pranks start soon after._ _

__You wake up one morning and go to make some breakfast only to find a bra has been placed on the toaster with a heart on a sticky note pasted to it._ _

__You retaliate by sticking the bra in the freezer._ _

__It turns out it was Julie’s bra, she’s not too happy. You think it’s hilarious._ _

__Then every belt you own is linked together, the clasp of one into the hole for the next, turning all 53 of your collection into one super belt._ _

__‘Hey There Delilah’ starts getting played at random times and “mysteriously” becomes Stephen’s ringtone. The background is constantly changed to pictures of giraffes. There’s a lot of shouting after that one, but even you have to admit it’s kinda funny._ _

__You have to admit it’s adorable when they try to prank each other. It seems to take both of them to pull a proper prank off, which meant the ones they managed on each other tended to be really simplistic and easy to spot, unless you were one of them._ _

__Hiding left shoes, switching salt and sugar, ice slipped down shirts while backs were turned. Most of them were ruined by the constant giggling of whoever was trying to pull it off._ _

__It’s a few weeks after that when she comes bouncing into the apartment one Saturday announcing that she has an idea. “We should go to this one place for lunch tomorow! All of us! It’ll be really fun.”_ _

__She’s right, it’s a tea garden that you’d somehow never heard of and she’s bouncing with excitment as she leads you, Darren, Stephen, Delilah, and Jon inside. She points out the pond where ducks are gathered, the tea house where they could get food, and then she insists Jon close his eyes “because this is the best part!”_ _

__You follow as she takes his hands and steers him over to the pond’s edge, Stephen rolling his eyes to Delilah who giggles and punches his arm. Julie talks Jon through kneeling next to the pond without falling in and finally tells him to open his eyes._ _

__“They’re a koi preserve, they keep koi that are something like the oldest and biggest in the world!”_ _

__You and Stephen exchange glances. The loss of his koi had been the hardest part about becoming human and you both remember how upset it had made him._ _

__For a moment he doesn’t say anything, his eyes wide and shining as he watches the orange and gold creatures flick and glide through the water, sending ripples through the clear water like reality itself was distorting._ _

__“Julie, this is the best thing ever!” Tears of happiness form at the edge of his eyes and his voice hitches as he speaks, he wraps her in a hug and suddenly you feel very uncomfortable because they’re kissing and it doesn’t look like they’ll be done anytime soon._ _

__“Ummm, hey Darren wanna go feed the ducks with me?” you say after a moment. He nods and you both head off. Delilah points out she’s getting hungry and she and Stephen head for the tea house. You stay close, Darren actually sitting at the bench while you hover just out of sight and just within earshot to make sure they’re okay._ _

__They stay there for nearly a half hour, talking and laughing as Jon runs his fingers through the water the same way he had once run them throught the void within his own chasis. The koi seem to enjoy his company as they don’t clamor for food like they normally would but lazily swim around his fingers, nipping playfully at them and lettng him pet them as they pass._ _

__They watch the clouds pass overhead and absently trade stories about anything that passes though their minds. Finally they too get hungry and Julie wonders absently,_ _

__“I wonder if they have any sodas, you like Pepsi?”_ _

__Jon freezes, even pulls back the tiniest bit. “No” The word is strangely blunt and somehow harsh coming from him, and Julie turns to stare at him, rather openly confused._ _

__“There’s a story to that isn’t there?” She comes back to his side and settles back onto the grass, waiting patiently for him to start explaining._ _

__He doesn’t look at her at first, watching the koi instead as he bites his lip nervously._ _

__“Before, back when I was still The Jon, they made it so I ran off a certain kinda soda…”_ _

__“Crystal Pepsi? I always kinda thought that part was a joke…”_ _

__“No… It was supposed to help our family… Then they stopped making it. We started doing that bit because it was easier to joke about it than to admit it was really gonna happen.”_ _

__She inches closer to him, turning to lay in his lap and look up at his face as she curls her fingers round his hair._ _

__“I never told Rabbit or The Spine, but I always knew exactly how many cans of it we had, exactly how many were left and how long each and every can would keep me running.”_ _

__She slides her hand into his and he squeezes it, bringing it to his cheek as he continues._ _

__“I knew exactly how long I had, every day I’d power on and it was like a countdown was running. I would have been dead one year, three months, and fourteen days ago if we hadn’t been turned human.”_ _

__There’s a moment where they just stay there, frozen in each other’s embrace as what he’d said sinks in._ _

__Finally you watch as she lifts up and kisses him gently on the lips._ _

__“I don’t think I like Pepsi anymore, The Jon…” she says, her eyes glistening with fought back tears._ _

__He laughs and pulls her to her feet and they go running off to get something to eat, and you and Darren (who, thankfully, doesn’t seem to have heard anything) follow a few moments later, the ducks looking displeased at your departure and even following you a little ways._ _

__You don’t say anything about overhearing them and they slip back into their usual bouncing hyperactivity as they get their food and spend the rest of the outing bouncing steadily more ridiculous jokes off one another._ _

__Group lunch becomes a weekly thing that all of you look forward to._ _


	3. Not Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of all the curve balls Boodles confusing, paradoxical life could have thrown it had to be actual curves.  
> I blame puhpuhtooie and her adorable doodle of gender bent boodle for this.  
> http://puhpuhtooie.tumblr.com/tagged/boodle

Boodle lay sprawled out face down on his bed waiting for his latest bought of changes to finally pass. It wasn’t the most painful or even most uncomfortable transition he’d suffered through but it was never an especially pleasant experience when your entire being tore itself apart then attempted to haphazardly piece itself back together, usually failing miserably.

He let out a sigh of steam as the shifting tearing melding feeling finally subsided and his body returned to its closest impression of ‘normal’. Hefting himself from the bed he stumbled on unsteady legs to his mirror, curious what changes awaited him this time.

What awaited him was like some kind of bad joke and in his shock a shout tore its way from his lips.

“Mama!!!”

Even his…no that wasn’t right anymore, her voice had changed, the pitch ever so slightly higher now. Of all the curve balls Boodles confusing, paradoxical life could have thrown it had to be actual curves.

Every angle had softened, making his appearance more noodle than boxish but on top of that was the addition if wider hips, a thinner waist, and the modest hint of a chest. Her hair was longer, just less than shoulder length and just a bit curly.

There was a skid and a thud in the hall outside Boodle’s room followed by a worried “Boodle are you oka…oh…my.” as The Spine threw the door open only to freeze at the sight.

Boodles lip began to quiver and her eyes fill with oil as he sighed, wrapping the smaller bot in a tight hug.

“Come here Boodle, you’re okay.” he insisted gently as she cried into his vest.

“It’s not f-fair!” She sobbed “Everything else always changes but at least something stayed the same. And NOW I don’t even get to stay a boy all the time?!? What else is gonna start changing?!”

He picked the smaller bot up, moving to sit on the bed with his wonderfully impossible child settled in his lap running a hand comfortingly through the now longer hair.

“I know it’s not easy when you change Boodle, and this is a bigger change than even you’re used to. But no matter what you’re always going to be my little Boodle and I will always be here to try and help you get through things. Okay?”

Her sobbing has turned into sporadic sniffles and she nods, hitching softly a she tries to calm back down.

“T-thanks Mama.” She sniffles, thin arms wrapping around The Spines boxy chest and squeezing tightly. He returns it happily, holding his child close as she finally seems to calm.

“You know what, I think I overheard Uncle Johnny and Uncle Rabbit whispering about an Icecream parade earlier. I bet we still have time to join in on the horse adventure!”

Boodle was using the corner of his bed spread to wipe the oil from his eyes and cheeks but smiled at the suggestion.

“Can we really?” She asked excitedly. “Of course! Let’s hurry up before we miss it.” He’d already explained things over the Walter Wifi so neither of them would be surprised or say the wrong thing.

He watched as his son-now-daughter happily tugged him along, still somewhat unsteady on her new legs. She’d get used to this new change and everything would calm down for a bit before the next thing decided to happen.

But they’d be just fine, just like they always were. Because they’d deal with it as a family, just like they always did.


End file.
